It is well known that electronic packages containing integrated circuits generate heat while in the operating mode. The amount of heat generated may be small or quite large depending on the function of the circuitry and the type of logic used in the circuitry. The number of transistors and current consumption are also important factors in heat generation.
Heat management includes cooling frames (U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,867) and heat exchangers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,267). In both of these cases, the heat transfer device is an addition to the electrical socket or connector in which the electronic package is positioned. Another heat dissipating assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,405. Heat conductive pins, brazed or soldered to the ceramic cover of the electronic package, extend to and support an overlying cooling fin structure. Heat travels through the pins to the fin structure for dissipation.
Still another system for dissipating heat is to mount the circuit board on a conductive substructure and divert heat thereto by means of conductive pins which are attached to the substrate of the electronic package and extend through the board to the substructure. The use of a substructure has several advantages, one being that the upper surface of the circuit board is free of cooling devices. Another advantage is that the substructure has substantial mass and surface exposure to readily absorb and dissipate heat. A drawback to the use of conductive pins is that they must be soldered or otherwise firmly secured to the substrate and substructure to insure good heat transfer. Removal of the package requires desoldering or other labor and time consuming efforts. It has now been proposed to provide an opening in the circuit board and place the substrate directly onto the substructure. This proposal, however, requires a device for connecting the conductive pads on the electronic package to the circuit board and further a device for pressing the package against the substructure to maximize heat transfer thereto.
It is therefore the intent of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which electrically connects conductive pads on the electronic package to respective conductive pads on the circuit board and which also provides means for biasing the package against the substructure.